Earth is littered with trash, and now, it seems, so is the Moon. As countries like the U.S. and China race to send astronauts back to our lunar neighbor, they may unintentionally be sending more junk along with them. Astronomer Bill Gray has discovered that a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket part is headed for a crash landing on the Moon’s surface. This isn’t just a random accident; it’s part of a troubling pattern.
Gray’s calculations show that this piece of space debris will strike near the Einstein crater on August 5, 2026. It’s a part of missions that included commercial Moon landers from Firefly Aerospace and ispace. Unfortunately, once these missions wrap, many of the spacecraft remain there as literal Moon junk. In fact, we’ve sent more to the Moon than we’ve brought back.
When the Falcon 9 upper stage completed its mission, it was left to drift in space until the Moon’s gravity pulled it in. At a speed of about 5,400 mph, it will make a significant impact, joining the ranks of past missions that have also left behind their fair share of debris.
This issue is likely to worsen. Gray pointed out that remnants from the Apollo missions are still scattered across the Moon. For instance, stages from Apollo 13 and Apollo 17 were intentionally left there. NASA even crashed a rocket into the Moon back in 2009 for scientific research. In a 2022 miscalculation, a Chinese rocket hit the Moon accidentally, and now SpaceX is set to add to the pile.
Every year, the number of rocket launches is increasing, contributing to the clutter in space. If companies don’t take better care of their discarded rocket parts, they risk adding more trash to the Moon. While these rockets usually burn up upon returning to Earth, those caught by the Moon will simply contribute to its growing litter problem.
Interestingly, there are legal frameworks around this issue. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, signed by UN nations, aims to prevent harmful contamination of celestial bodies. SpaceX’s actions—though unintentional—might be seen as a violation of this treaty. However, enforcing these laws is a challenge since they primarily target nation-states, not private companies.
A more sustainable approach could involve sending decommissioned rocket stages into solar orbit, where they won’t return for centuries. While this might seem like avoiding the problem, it helps mitigate immediate risks. As we look toward establishing permanent bases on the Moon, we must consider the implications of space debris. One errant rocket stage could pose a real threat to astronauts working on the lunar surface.
As we explore the cosmos, we must strive to keep it clean for future generations. The Moon deserves better than to become a dumping ground for our discarded technologies.
